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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — the most important part
  14. perch — the fish
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lean — thin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. content — happy
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com